Study on Customer Motivation in Choosing Resort Hotels (Using Push-Pull Theory), during Covid-19 Pandemic: Case of Karnataka

Abstract

With a globalized world going into complete or partial lockdown, owing to COVID-19 pandemic situation, overall impact on economic growth, human-life, and businesses are difficult to analyze, both in short and long-term. Nearer home, Indian hospitality sector has been struggling due to low demand and few future bookings. However, there is still hope for Indian hospitality industry to recover from this unprecedented situation by tailoring strategies according to customer’s motivation to choose a certain tourism product or service, which will drive hotel sector’s demand. This paper aims to establish these customer motivation factors: push and pull motivation factors (based on push-pull theory). A choice shift from traditional hotels to resorts, especially during a pandemic, where social distancing has become essential when stepping out of homes. Study region in Indian State of Karnataka, with a prerequisite of choosing a sample of respondents, who either have traveled or are willing to travel locally during an ongoing pandemic and choose resort hotels as their lodging option. Research methodology used in this study are exploratory factor analysis to determine push and pull motivation factors, which drive customers to choose resort hotels during their travel amidst ongoing pandemic, Descriptive factor analysis, which presented a resort-hotel guest profile, and reliability modified push-pull factors based on variables dependent on COVID-19 situation. Timely knowledge and awareness of motivation factors will enable hoteliers to develop appealing right positioning and apt points of differences for their offering during COVID-19 pandemic situation to help in revival of this sector which has been worst affected mammoth of a crisis.

Imprint

Ruchi Thakur, Vanishree Pabalkar. Study on Customer Motivation in Choosing Resort Hotels (Using Push-Pull Theory), during Covid-19 Pandemic: Case of Karnataka. Cardiometry; Issue 23; August 2022; p.666-676; DOI: 10.18137/cardiometry.2022.23.666676; Available from: https://www.cardiometry.net/issues/no23-august-2022/study-customer-motivation-choosing